Flange plates for fluid port interfaces

ABSTRACT

Flange plates control the flow of fluid between fluid handling devices. In one embodiment, a sealing plate includes an O-ring and a structural support ring disposed within the O-ring. The support ring prevents the O-ring from being dislodged due to fluid pressure in the line. The support ring may have chamfers which aid in centering the O-ring. The support ring may also have a plurality of orifices allowing fluid flow between the interior of the support ring and the O-ring. In another embodiment, a blanking plate includes a domed portion, oriented in a direction towards the fluid being contained. The domed portion imparts strength to the blanking plate, allowing the plate to be made of a thinner piece of material. In another embodiment, an orifice plate includes a domed portion as described above, with an orifice located at the center of the dome. The invention also provides sealing plates which provide structural support for slip-in fluid modules, and which also have central bores which transition from one diameter to another, allowing fluid components having ports of differing diameters to be connected together.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of fluid control. Theinvention comprises plates for attachment to an end of a fluid conduit,or for use at an interface between fluid conduits, the plates havingspecific structures for governing the flow of fluid.

[0002] The plates of the present invention solve various problemsencountered in fluid handling. For example, it is often necessary toconnect two fluid handling components together, such that fluid flowssmoothly from one component to the next. At the interface betweencomponents, one must provide a seal which prevents fluid from leakingout, and which prevents contaminants from the outside from entering thefluid. The seal should be sufficiently strong that it will withstandfluid pressure in the line, but not so heavy that its cost becomesprohibitive.

[0003] Sometimes it is necessary, such as for purposes of maintenance,to block the flow through a fluid port. A plate is typically used toblock off an end of a fluid conduit. The plate must be strong enough toperform the desired blocking function, but not so thick that the platebecomes unduly expensive.

[0004] Another problem solved by the present invention is the need toprovide a controlled flow, through an orifice of known size, from afluid handling component. The same considerations noted above, such asstrength and cost of the orifice plate, are relevant here. One requiresan orifice plate that will withstand fluid pressure in the line, butwhich is not prohibitively expensive.

[0005] Various plates have been devised, in the prior art, to providethe above-described functions. Such plates typically comprise flangeswhich are affixed to a fluid port, or between adjoining fluid ports, theplates having various patterns formed therein. These plates aregenerally made according to certain standardized patterns. For hydraulicsystems, a common flange pattern is SAE No. J518, although otherstandards have been used.

[0006] For purposes of describing the present invention, thisspecification will use the rectangular flange pattern according to theabove-mentioned SAE standard. The present invention therefore comprisesimprovements over the standard plates described above. However, thoseknowledgeable in the art will recognize that the invention can beapplied to all flange-like port interfaces, including those havingmultiple ports as well as those having single port connections.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In one embodiment, the present invention includes a sealingplate, intended to be sandwiched between two fluid handling components,the sealing plate having an annular seal and a structural support ring.The annular seal may be an O-ring or equivalent flexible seal, and thestructural support ring is disposed within the interior region of theannular seal. The outside diameter of the support ring is preferablygreater than the inside diameter of the annular seal, so that thesupport ring and annular seal are held in place. This structure has theadvantages that it prevents the seal from being dislodged by fluidpressure, and that it provides some structural support for valve bodiesor other components that may be adjacent to the plate.

[0008] In the preferred embodiment, the structural support ring haschamfers along its outer edge, so as to provide a seat for the O-ring.The support ring may also include a plurality of orifices allowing fluidflow between the interior of the support ring and the O-ring seal.

[0009] Another embodiment of the invention includes a blanking platewhich closes off a fluid conduit. The blanking plate of the presentinvention has a domed portion, disposed at or near the center of theplate, the domed portion being pointed towards the fluid beingcontained. The advantage of this structure is that it substantiallyincreases the effective strength of the plate, making it feasible to usea relatively thin plate to contain a relatively high-pressure fluid.

[0010] Another embodiment of the invention includes an orifice platewhich provides a controlled flow of fluid from one fluid component toanother. The orifice plate includes a domed portion, like that of thepreceding embodiment, but the domed portion has an orifice, preferablydisposed at the center of the dome. This arrangement is believed tomaximize the efficiency of the flow, because the highest flow velocityis found near the center of the fluid port or conduit, and the leadingsharp edge orifice is less sensitive to changes in viscosity of thefluid.

[0011] In another embodiment, the invention includes a sealing platewhich provides a smooth transition from one diameter to another. Thesealing plate may also include additional seals disposed on the facewhich receives a fluid component. These embodiments make it easy toconnect various fluid handling components, with maximum efficiency, evenwhere the diameters of all of the ports do not match.

[0012] The present invention therefore has the primary object ofproviding a plurality of flange plates for use with fluid portinterfaces.

[0013] The invention has the further object of providing an improvedseal for connection of fluid handling components.

[0014] The invention has the further object of reducing the size andcost of flange plates which provide fluid seals.

[0015] The invention has the further object of preventing dislodgment offlexible seals in fluid handling equipment.

[0016] The invention has the further object of preventing damage tovalve bodies in fluid handling equipment.

[0017] The invention has the further object of reducing the size andcost of blanking plates used to block fluid flow through a port.

[0018] The invention has the further object of reducing the size andcost of orifice plates used to provide a controlled fluid flow from aport.

[0019] The invention has the further object of providing sealing plateshaving smooth transitions which allow fluid components having differentport diameters to be efficiently connected together.

[0020] The invention has the further object of providing sealing plateswhich provide structural support for slip-in fluid component modulessuch as axial flow cartridge valves.

[0021] The reader skilled in the art will recognize other objects andadvantages of the present invention, from a reading of the followingbrief description of the drawings, the detailed description of theinvention, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022]FIGS. 1A and 1B provide front and end views, respectively, of asealing plate of the prior art.

[0023]FIG. 2A provides a front view of the sealing plate made accordingto the present invention.

[0024]FIG. 2B provides a cross-sectional view, taken along the line2B-2B of FIG. 2A.

[0025]FIG. 3A provides a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a sealingplate of the prior art, installed between two fluid ports.

[0026]FIG. 3B provides a view similar to that of FIG. 3A, but insteadshowing the sealing plate of the present invention.

[0027]FIG. 4A provides a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing anO-ring seal being dislodged, when using a sealing plate of the priorart.

[0028]FIG. 4B provides a fragmentary cross-sectional view showingdeformation of a valve module in an arrangement of the prior art.

[0029]FIG. 5A provides a front view of a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, wherein the support ring has a chamfer which supportsan O-ring.

[0030]FIG. 5B provides a cross-sectional view, taken along the line5B-5B in FIG. 5A.

[0031]FIG. 5C provides a front view of another alternative embodiment ofthe present invention, wherein the support ring has a plurality oforifices.

[0032]FIG. 5D provides a cross-sectional view, taken along the line5D-5D of FIG. 5C.

[0033]FIG. 5E provides an enlarged cross-sectional view of theembodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D,illustrating the relationship between the O-ring, the support ring, andthe orifice.

[0034]FIGS. 6A and 6B provide front and end views of a blanking platemade according to the present invention.

[0035]FIGS. 7A and 7B provide front and end views of a plate madeaccording to the present invention, the plate having an orifice forcontrolling fluid flow, and having a dome shape for strengthening theplate relative to the fluid flow.

[0036]FIGS. 8A and 8B provide front and cross-sectional views of anotherembodiment of the present invention, wherein a sealing plate provides asealing surface and a structural support for slip-in fluid moduleshaving ports that are smaller than the flange port size.

[0037]FIGS. 9A and 9B provide front and cross-sectional views of anotherembodiment similar to that of FIGS. 8A and 8B, except that the sealingplate also includes a face seal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] One embodiment of the present invention includes a sealing platewhich represents a substantial improvement over the prior art plateshown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a conventionalsealing plate 1 defines an opening 3 which is intended to match anopening on a fluid conduit of a valve or other fluid handling device(not shown). The plate is attached to such device by bolts, or theirequivalent, the bolts being inserted through bolt holes 4. All of theplates shown in the drawings, and described in this specification, havesimilar bolt holes, and are attachable to fluid handling devices in thesame way.

[0039] An annular seal 5 (depicted as an O-ring) is disposed within theboundary of opening 3. In FIG. 3A, the prior art sealing plate of FIGS.1A and 1B is shown installed between fluid handling components 7, whichmay be valves, fluid conduits, or other devices.

[0040] The problems encountered with the sealing plate of FIGS. 1A and1B are illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B. FIG. 4A shows how the force offluid flow, symbolized by arrows 9, can dislodge the seal 5. The resultis a partial or total failure of the seal, causing the introduction ofcontaminants into the flow, or leaking between components.

[0041]FIG. 4B shows how a valve body can become distorted when itpresses against the seal. Since the plate of the prior art has no solidmember within the boundary of the O-ring, there is nothing to supportthe valve body. One solution to the problem illustrated in FIG. 4B is tomake the valve body thicker and heavier, so that it is less likely tobecome distorted. The latter solution may be effective, but it is undulycostly.

[0042]FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate an embodiment of the present inventionwhich overcomes the above-described problems. As shown in these figures,a support ring 13 sits within the annular seal or O-ring 11 of thesealing plate 15. The diameter of the support ring is chosen such thatthe support ring and the annular seal are held in place. The supportring is preferably made of metal. It can also be made of other materialswhich are hard compared with the relatively resilient material of theO-ring.

[0043]FIG. 3B illustrates the sealing plate of the present invention, asinstalled between two fluid handling components. The latter componentsare identified by reference numeral 7, the same as in FIG. 3A, becausethe fluid handling components can be the same in both cases. FIG. 3Bshows the sealing plate 15 of the present invention, sandwiched betweenthe fluid handling components. FIG. 3B also shows the annular seal 11and the support ring 13.

[0044] The support ring prevents the problems depicted in FIGS. 4A and4B. In particular, by holding the O-ring in place, the O-ring isunlikely to become dislodged even under the influence of high fluidvelocity in the line. Also, the support ring provides a supportingsurface against which a valve or other component can bear. The supportring thus prevents a valve body, or other part of a fluid handlingcomponent, from entering the interior region of the O-ring. The supportring therefore prevents the damage shown in FIG. 4B.

[0045]FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a preferred embodiment of the sealingplate of the present invention. In this embodiment, the support ring hasa chamfer which centers the O-ring in its desired position. Moreover, inthis embodiment, the support ring has a width which is the same as, orslightly less than, the width of the sealing plate. In the preferredembodiment, the chamfers are opposing 45° chamfers. That is, thechamfers form an angle of about 45° with respect to the axis of thesupport ring. In one preferred embodiment, the root where the 45°chamfers join has a nominal internal radius of 0.020 inches, to minimizestress concentration. Also, in the preferred embodiment, both outer endsof the support ring have flat portions which are at least 0.005 incheswide, to prevent the seal from being damaged. All of the latter figuresare intended only as examples, and are not intended to limit theinvention to any particular dimensions.

[0046] It is preferable to make the outside diameter of the support ringgreater than the inside diameter of the annular seal, to prevent thecomponents from coming apart during handling. This geometry also insuresthat the annular seal will fit within the cavity defined by the sealingplate and the support ring.

[0047] The centering chamfer aids in positioning the support ring in thecenter of the annular seal (O-ring). The chamfer also makes it easier tosupply the sealing plate and the O-ring as an assembly together with thesupport ring. During pre-loading of the O-ring, the support ring assistsin directing the displacement of the O-ring towards the joints that arebeing sealed.

[0048] An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 5Cand 5D. In this embodiment, the support ring includes orifices 17 whichdirect the flow of fluid from a pressurized port to the center undersideof the annular seal. This arrangement insures that the fluid loading ofthe seal is outward, toward the joints that are being sealed. When thesystem pressure is reduced, fluid decompression is permitted throughthese orifices.

[0049] The embodiments of FIGS. 5A-5D are summarized in the enlargedview of FIG. 5E. FIG. 5E shows sealing plate 19 having annular seal(O-ring) 21, and structural support ring 23. The orifice 17 in thesupport ring is clearly visible. FIG. 5E also shows chamfered surfaces25, and flat outer ends 27. Note also that in FIG. 5E, the outsidediameter of the support ring is larger than the inside diameter of theO-ring; this feature tends to hold these parts together.

[0050]FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate another embodiment of the invention.This embodiment comprises a blanking plate, which is used to block theflow of fluid up to the maximum pressure rating in the line. Blankingplate 29 is shown with dotted line 31 which indicates the diameter ofthe port to be blocked. The end view of FIG. 6B shows dome 33, formedintegrally with the plate. The dome faces the fluid side that is to beblocked and pressurized. In other words, the dome is convex on the sidethat contacts the fluid. The dome provides a smooth transition from theflat surface of the plate to the apex of the dome, at or near the centerof the plate.

[0051] The dome permits the relatively thin plate to withstand a higherpressure, without damage, than would be possible with a flat blankingplate made of the same material and having the same thickness. Use ofthe dome therefore achieves a reduction in weight and cost, because onecan use a relatively thin plate and still provide sufficient strength towithstand the pressurized fluid.

[0052]FIGS. 7A and 7B depict another embodiment of the presentinvention. These figures show orifice plate 35, which is used to controlthe flow in a fluid line by allowing the fluid to escape through anorifice of known diameter. As in FIG. 6A, dotted line 37 indicates thediameter of the fluid port against which the orifice plate sits. Theplate includes an orifice 43, the position of the orifice beingindicated by circle 39 in FIG. 7A. As in the embodiment of FIGS. 6A and6B, the plate includes a smoothly curved dome 41, which enables theplate to withstand relatively high fluid pressures in the line. The domeis intended to be oriented facing the side from which flow is to becontrolled.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 7B, the orifice is positioned at the center ofthe dome. This arrangement insures that the orifice comprises a leadingsharp edge orifice in the center of the flow conduit, making the orificerelatively insensitive to changes in the viscosity of the fluid.Efficiency is believed to be maximized because the highest flow velocityis found near the center of the fluid conduit, i.e. at the center of theplate, and the leading sharp edge orifice is less sensitive to changesin fluid viscosity. Also, the use of the domed structure saves weightand reduces cost, for the same reasons given with respect to theembodiment of FIGS. 6A and 6B.

[0054] Another embodiment of the invention comprises a plate whichprovides both sealing and structural support for slip-in fluid modules,such as valves, filters, etc., and which also works with modules havingport sizes different from the flange port size. The term “slip-in”, asused herein, means that the component slides into a cavity in anappropriate block or flange body or other holding means, rather thanbeing screwed in. An example of a fluid component with which thisembodiment can be used is an axial flow cartridge valve. The cartridgeslides into a cavity in a block, the cavity being sized to accommodatethe cartridge.

[0055]FIGS. 8A and 8B provide an example of a sealing plate used with aslip-in valve module. The slip-in valve module 55 has an insidediameter, symbolically indicated on the right-hand side of FIG. 8B, theinside diameter of the valve module being significantly smaller than theinside diameter of the port, indicated at the left-hand side of thedrawing. Seal plate 45 includes outer bore 47, which provides a smoothtransition to inner bore 49. The seal plate abuts fluid flange body 51.Due to its reduced diameter opening, the seal plate provides structuralsupport as well as a sealing surface for the slip-in valve module. Thediameter of the inner bore of the seal plate is smaller than thediameter of the seals associated with the fluid component.

[0056] The seal plate 45 shown in FIG. 8B is relatively thick. The sealplate should be sufficiently thick to provide adequate support for thevalve module, especially in the event of a pressure failure in the line.For example, if the pressure drops abruptly on the left-hand side ofFIG. 8B, the seal plate will be urged to the left, due to the fluidpressure in the valve. If the seal plate is too thin, it may notwithstand the fluid pressure, and will bow outward, to the left,allowing the valve module to shift to the left and to become damaged.

[0057]FIGS. 9A and 9B provide illustrations of an alternative to FIGS.8A and 8B, wherein the sealing plate contains an additional face seal53. This face seal is shown on only one side of the plate, but it can beprovided on either or both sides. As in the preceding embodiment, thesealing plate includes a transition bore to improve flowcharacteristics.

[0058] The embodiments of FIGS. 8A, 8B, 9A, and 9B therefore permit theuse of slip-in valve modules, or other modules, that are smaller thanthe nominal line size, making it possible to provide the necessarycomponents, having the desired performance characteristics, at reducedcost.

[0059] All of the plates described in this specification can be made ofvarious materials, depending on the particular application. In standardpetroleum-based hydraulic systems, steel is normally the preferredmaterial for these plates.

[0060] The invention can be modified in many ways. The particularstructure of the plates can be varied. The number of bolt holes, forexample, can be changed. The number of ports accommodated in a singleplate can be varied. The shape of the ports can change; the invention isnot limited to ports having a circular cross-section. Many of thefeatures of the invention, discussed above, can be combined in the sameplate. These and other modifications, which will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art, should be considered within the spirit and scope ofthe following claims.

1-22. (cancelled)
 23. Apparatus for blocking fluid flow in a conduit,comprising: a one-piece plate, the plate having a flat portion having aplurality of bolt holes, and a domed portion connected directly to theflat portion, the domed portion comprising less than a full hemisphere,the flat portion of the plate being defined by two substantiallyparallel planar surfaces which extend along the entire plate except atsaid domed portion, the domed portion defining a surface which is convexin a direction opposite the direction of fluid flow in a conduit to beblocked, the flat portion defining a plane which is generallyperpendicular to the direction of fluid flow, wherein the domed portionis substantially rigid, non-rupturable and non-perforated.
 24. Theapparatus of claim 23, wherein there are four bolt holes disposedsymmetrically around the domed portion.
 25. The apparatus of claim 23,wherein the domed portion extends across a generally circular regionwhich matches a port to be blocked.
 26. The apparatus of claim 23,wherein the domed portion transitions smoothly from a flat surface ofthe plate to an apex of the domed portion.
 27. Apparatus for providing acontrolled flow of fluid from a first fluid component to a second fluidcomponent, comprising: a one-piece orifice plate adapted to be held inabutment between said first and second fluid components, the orificeplate including a domed portion and a plurality of bolt holes, the domedportion defining a surface which is convex in a direction of the firstcomponent, the convex surface of the domed portion being substantiallyunobstructed to a flow of fluid from said first component, wherein thedomed portion includes a non-reinforced, sharp-edged orifice.
 28. Theapparatus of claim 27, wherein there are four bolt holes disposedsymmetrically around the domed portion.
 29. The apparatus of claim 27,wherein the domed portion defines a central region, and wherein theorifice is located in the central region of the domed portion.
 30. Theapparatus of claim 27, wherein the domed portion transitions smoothlyfrom a flat surface of the orifice plate to an apex of the domedportion.